Doraemon’s ‘secret tools’ exposed in Osaka exhibit

An exhibition in Osaka, western Japan, is giving visitors a chance to see real-life renderings of inventions and gadgets featured in the popular comic and animated series "Doraemon."

In the long-running series, the titular cat-shaped robot from the 22nd century uses a variety of devices dubbed "secret tools" to help Nobita, a schoolboy in present-day Tokyo.

Among the displays in the event running through Aug. 31 at the Shin Umeda City district near JR Osaka Station is a single-seat helicopter, said to be one of the smallest in the world, inspired by Doraemon’s head-mounted "Takecopter" flying kit, albeit not quite as small.